I'm Gone
by HalfSun
Summary: Cloudwing believes she has the perfect mate. But does she really? One-shot. Sixth challenge for Cloudclan.


I'm Gone

I purred as I nuzzled my mate, Foxtail.

"I've got to go on a hunting patrol now, Cloudwing."

I nodded. "Okay."

I watched as Foxtail joined Tallstripe and Poppybreeze on the hunting patrol. Meanwhile, I bent down to lick at my huge belly. I was carrying Foxtail's kits, and either there were a lot of them, or they were very big, or maybe even both.

"Can you bring back a squirrel?" I asked as Foxtail padded out of the camp. Foxtail turned and nodded before he walked out of the camp.

"Ahh," I sighed as I flipped over onto my back. The sunshine warmed my swollen belly. "That _does _feel good." I stood up and stretched. "Mmmm."

I decided that I would go for a walk. I'd been itching to get out of camp for the last moon, but no, Grassnose the medicine cat _insisted _that I stay inside the camp. I glanced around to make sure that the brown tabby tom wasn't nearby. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when he wasn't.

When I pulled myself through the bramble barriers, I winced when they snagged at my fur. I hadn't realized how big I'd become.

Once I was out in the forest, I started running, crackling leaves under my paws and throwing my head back to let the wind blow at my long white fur. After a while, I stopped, panting, and returned to camp.

Once I was back, I noticed Grassnose's very annoyed expression. I ignored him and walked right by the medicine cat on my way to the fresh-kill pile. I looked around. Tallstripe and Poppybreeze were back, but there was no sign of Foxtail. I wasn't worried. Surely, he was off hunting on his own, or in the warriors den, or maybe the dirtplace.

Hours passed. The sun started sinking lower and lower in the sky. Foxtail was still nowhere to be seen. Trying to squash the panicking feeling inside me, I walked over to Poppybreeze and asked, "Do you know where Foxtail is?"

"Hm?" The pale ginger warrior looked up from her mouse. "What? Oh...no. He said that he wanted to go hunting by himself."

I felt dread rise up in me. _Stop that, Cloudwing, _I mentally scolded myself. _Foxtail has probably gotten lost. Or he's taking a nap. Maybe he's by the lake._

I padded over to Tallstripe, the other cat on Foxtail's patrol. "Do you know where Foxtail is?"

"Oh, him?" Tallstripe looked bored and disinterested. "Eh. I don't know. Said something about hunting."

Without another moment's hesitation, I raced out of the camp. My overlarge stomach slowed me down, but only a bit. I put my nose to the ground, trying to find Foxtail's scent. Ah-ha! There it was!

Foxtail distinctive musky odor distinguished him from the rest of the patrol. Tallstripe's and Poppybreeze's scents were with Foxtail. They must not have split up yet. Then Foxtail's scent veered away from the others, and I saw a bit of bright ginger fur-exactly like Foxtail's-snagged in a bramble bush. So far, he seemed okay.

I continued to track his scent. It was going farther and farther away from the most prey-rich places. I was puzzled. Foxtail was one of the most skilled warriors in the clan. Was it really possible that he's ignore all the prey?  
His scent traveled deeper and deeper into the forest. Oak and willow slowly turned into pine. Foxtail's scent led right across the border and into Shadowclan territory.

I felt my heart stop. "What?" I muttered. I had to tell Birdstar about Foxtail. It pained me to tell on my mate. But he had broken the warrior code. He hadn't accidentally wandered into Shadowclan territory. He had done it on purpose.

I was about to turn back when I scented Foxtail. Jumping into a clump of bushes, I peeked out from a small gap in the leaves. A voice that sounded like Foxtail's was speaking. I scanned the forest, and saw Foxtail walking side by side with a mousy gray she-cat.

"...And so I told Cloudwing that she was my mate, and she fell for it. Don't worry, Mousetooth. You are my one and only."

My world shattered apart. Foxtail loved Mousetooth? A Shadowclan warrior? Why had Flamestar accepted him into the clan? Why did he tell me that he loved me when he didn't? I was feeling quite dizzy.

The cat that must've been Mousetooth mewed, "I hope so. You know, I'm really glad you rejected that long-haired furball for me, Foxtail. We're going to be so happy together."

I couldn't take it. I sprang out from behind the bushes and snarled at Foxtail, "You traitor!"

Foxtail didn't seem surprised. "Nice to see you too, Cloudwing."

I hissed at him, rage filling my voice. "You said you loved me! Was that a lie? Was all of it a lie?"

Foxtail nodded calmly. "Yes, Cloudwing. You can tell Birdstar that I have joined Shadowclan."

"I can't believe you!"

My heart almost breaks right then. Without thinking, I launch myself at him, forgetting my kits for an instant. Then it comes back to me.

"I'm having _your _kits, Foxtail! You jerk!"

My claws tugged clumps of fur out of his broad shoulders. Foxtail dodged my fiercest blows, then leapt on me, screeching and clawing me. "They are not my kits! I will not father them. I have one mate, and her name is Mousetooth!"

I felt defeated and slumped to the ground.

"I hate you," I hissed.

Then I jumped on Mousetooth. Mousetooth, who stole Foxtail from me, who called Foxtail her mate, who I now believe is pure evil.

Mousetooth shrieked in pain as my teeth meet her chest. Foxtail tuged me off, then started slashing at me. I growled and tried to jump on him, but he dodged. His claws tried to rake across my face, but I tried to avoid.

Tried to.

His claws sliced at my throat instead. My knees buckled, and Foxtail stared at me, horrified.

"I never meant to," he whispered.

"I'm sorry, my love." He looks at me pleadingly. "Forgive me."

I managed to spit in his face before I died.


End file.
